A provider of a mobile wireless communication service typically requires a mobile wireless communication device (“mobile device”) to be activated on a mobile wireless communication network (“mobile network”) before the mobile device is allowed to send and receive communications over the mobile network. Consequently, when a person purchases and wants to activate a new mobile device on such a mobile network, he or she conventionally enlists the help of a representative of the service provider by calling a customer service number or by visiting a retail location of the service provider. The representative then works with the person to activate the new mobile device on the mobile network.
While such a conventional activation process is an effective way to activate a mobile device on a mobile network, there are shortcomings to the process. As an example, certain conventional processes tightly couple the activation of the mobile device to the purchase of the mobile device and often require a purchaser to go through a comprehensive and lengthy process of purchasing the mobile device, selecting service plan options for the mobile device, and activating the mobile device at one time (e.g., during a visit to a retail store). This tight coupling makes it difficult to separate the activation of the mobile device from the purchase of the mobile device, even when the purchaser wants to conveniently purchase the mobile device at one time or place and activate the mobile device at a different time or place that is more convenient (e.g., such as may happen when the purchaser wants to gift the mobile device to another person). As another example, certain conventional activation processes require a device other than the purchased new mobile device, such as a customer service representative's device, to be used to activate the new mobile device on the network. As another example, certain conventional activation processes require significant communications between a representative of the service provider and the purchaser of the mobile device in order for the representative to manually obtain and input information needed for activation, which process is prone to error and lengthens the activation process. As another example, certain conventional activation processes require the service provider to commit significant resources, such as equipment and/or human resources, to support the activation process.